“Teague…” His name sounded so damn sweet coming from her lips, somewhere halfway between a sigh and a plea. Her hands coasted up his back on either side of his spine.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Kiss me instead?”
His body responded even as his mind hesitated. That first night, she’d kissed him to distract him from questioning her about the bruises on her neck. On the surface, it didn’t seem like she was doing the same thing now, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that that was exactly what was happening. He kept his arms tense so she couldn’t wiggle out of them—not that she seemed to want distance between them, not when she kept up those distracting circles on his back, lightly dragging her nails over the thin fabric of his shirt. “Our problems aren’t going to go away just because we stop talking about them.”
“I know.” It was little more than a whisper. She tilted her head and pressed a kiss to his neck. “But I’m in danger of breaking under this stress if I can’t check out for a little while. Please, Teague, please help me check out.” She had to know what her saying his name did to him. There was no way she didn’t.
But still he resisted. “Angel, you’re making it fucking hard to do right by you.”
She laughed against his skin. “You don’t have a bed in this place?”
Fuck. He closed his eyes, but that only made it worse, his entire world narrowing down to the feel of her in his arms, warm and more than willing. She wanted him. He should be thrilled to figure that shit out. But she didn’t want him because she was so overwhelmed with feeling or desire or…anything except the need to “check out.” He’d had sex for a variety of reasons in the past—and some of those were pretty flimsy—but this was the first time it’d stung to be used for his cock.
He’d wanted more with Callie.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and used that hold to move her back so he could meet those baby blues. “I’ll help you stop thinking for a while, angel, but we’re doing it on my terms.” She opened her mouth, but he talked right over whatever argument she had ready. “I’ll give you everything you need and more—but we’re not fucking tonight.” It felt wrong to term it that way, but if he gave in tonight that’s exactly what it would be. Fucking. He’d barely known this woman a week, and he already knew that he wasn’t going to be happy with just sex.
No, he wanted it all.
If they survived this conflict with the Hallorans, he might even get it. But only if he played his cards right.
So he waited for her to work through it, and saw the moment she decided not to fight him on this. She frowned. “You don’t want to have sex with me.”
“On the contrary, I want it a whole hell of a lot. But not like this.”
“You’re a very strange man, Teague O’Malley.” Her frown cleared. “But I’ll agree—on one condition.”
She’d agreed far too easily. He braced himself and asked, “What’s your one condition?”
“You let me take care of you tonight, too.” Her smile had a wicked edge that promised all sorts of pleasure.
“I think we can work something out.” He framed her face with his hands and kissed her, the smallest taste to herald a night he planned to make unforgettable. “Stay with me tonight. I want you in my bed when I wake up.”
She smiled against his lips. “Okay.”
It was a start. He couldn’t ask for more.
Chapter Eight
Callie didn’t know what to make of this man. For all intents and purposes, she’d come over here ready to strip naked and have her wicked way with him. And he’d…turned her down. No, that wasn’t completely correct. Teague wanted her. The way he was staring at her said as much, those soulful eyes filled with a dark desire that called to her on a level she wasn’t prepared to deal with. She was starting to fear he wanted more than she could ever give.
Everything.
He kissed her again before the thought could take root and truly terrify her, his tongue coaxing her mouth open and delving inside. They stood in his living room, fully clothed and with a breath of distance between them, and it was one of the single most seductive moments